Fairhope Plantation, Historic plantation district in Uniontown, Alabama.
Fairhope Plantation is a historic district with seven buildings located about one mile east of Uniontown. The main residence is a two-and-a-half-story wooden structure built in the Gothic Revival style, featuring ornate wooden details, decorative hood moldings over windows, distinctive octagonal brick chimneys, and a cast-iron veranda wrapped around three sides of the house.
The main house was built in 1857 for Joseph Selden from Virginia and operated with about 80 enslaved people at the time. The property stayed in the Selden family's hands for over 100 years.
The architectural style draws inspiration from Alexander Jackson Davis's published designs in Andrew Jackson Downing's 1842 book, which shaped how homes were built in the region. Visitors can see these design principles reflected in the building details and overall layout.
The site is located about one mile outside the center of Uniontown and can be reached by traveling to the rural area nearby. The seven buildings of the property can be viewed from outside, and the architectural details are easiest to see during daylight hours.
The property ranks among roughly 20 surviving structures of this architectural style remaining in Alabama. This rarity makes it a notable example of a nearly disappeared architectural form that was once common in the region.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.